Anne Ruston (SA, Liberal Party, Minister for Families and Social Services) Share this | Hansard source

I give notice that, on the next day of sitting, I shall move:

That the provisions of paragraphs (5) to (8) of standing order 111 not apply to the following bills, allowing them to be considered during this period of sittings:

National Health Amendment (COVID-19) Bill 2021;

National Redress Scheme for Institutional Child Sexual Abuse Amendment Bill 2021;

Paid Parental Leave Amendment (COVID-19 Work Test) Bill 2021; and

Treasury Laws Amendment (2021 Measures No. 6) Bill 2021.

I also table statements of reasons justifying the need for these bills to be considered during these sittings and seek leave to have the statements incorporated in Hansard.

Leave granted.

The statement s read as follows—

STATEMENT OF REASONS FOR INTRODUCTION AND PASSAGE IN THE 2021 SPRING SITTINGS

National Health Amendment (COVID-19) Bill 2021

Purpose of the Bill

This Bill confers a time-limited spending power on the Minister for Health for the purpose of purchasing additional COVID-19 vaccines, inclusive of boosters, and necessary consumables, and COVID-19 treatments.

The Cabinet would retain its role in consideration and decision of vaccines and related purchases, and following Cabinet decision, the Minister for Health would exercise the spending power under the new provision to enable payments to be made upon execution of Advance Purchase Agreements with vaccine manufacturers.

Reasons for Urgency

If the Bill is not passed before the end of the 2021 Spring sittings, there is a risk that necessary payments for shipments of life-saving COVID-19 vaccines, particularly for the 2022 booster program, may not be able to be made in a timely manner, threatening supply schedules.

The latest scientific evidence for vaccines and treatments for COVID-19, including the need for boosters, is always evolving and decisions on the need to purchase products do not align with the regular cycle of Appropriation Bills. This spending power would provide a mechanism for the Department of Health to meet these payments as they fall due, regardless of whether funding for specific products was included in the most recent Appropriation Bill.

While broad provisions of funding can be provided for future expenditure through Appropriation Bills, due to the unpredictable nature of the efficacy of products coming to market throughout this pandemic, it is important to have a flexible mechanism for the short-term while longer term approaches for vaccines are considered.

Effect if the Bill is not dealt with in one sitting period

The need to be ready to rapidly invest in vaccines will continue as scientific evidence about future needs becomes clearer. At the same time, the international market for the purchase of vaccine is highly competitive. Without an adequate and certain pool of funds, the ability for Australia to negotiate the future purchase of COVID-19 vaccines, boosters, consumables and treatments may be hindered.

Why the need for the Bill was not foreseen

First doses of COVID-19 vaccines were delivered internationally in December 2020, while first doses were administered in Australia in late February 2021. The scientific evidence regarding COVID-19 vaccines continues to emerge at a rapid pace. The Australian Government already had in place Advance Purchase Agreements for sufficient vaccine doses for the entire population; however the need to purchase additional booster doses has only emerged in recent months.

(Circulated by authority of the Minister for Health and Aged Care, the Hon Greg Hunt MP)

STATEMENT OF REASONS FOR INTRODUCTION AND PASSAGE IN THE 2021 SPRING SITTINGS

NATIONAL REDRESS SCHEME FOR INSTITUTIONAL CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE AMENDMENT BILL

Purpose of the Bill

The bill will make improvements to the National Redress Scheme for Institutional Child Sexual Abuse (the Scheme) following the Final Report of the Second Year Review of the National Redress Scheme (the Review).

Reasons for Urgency

Stakeholders and survivors are expecting the Government to respond quickly and meaningfully to the Review and this bill enables the Government to immediately implement a number of Scheme improvements. This includes a number of measures to improve the survivor focus of the Scheme going forward

In particular, the bill introduces an advance payment of $10,000 for elderly and terminally ill applicants while they are waiting for their final redress outcome. Given the nature of institutional child sexual abuse, the Government is aware that survivors may not come forward to seek redress for some time and may be elderly or ill when they apply to the Scheme. There is a risk that survivors may pass away before receiving their redress outcome and any acknowledgement of the abuse they experienced as children.

(Circulated by authority of the Minister for Families and Social Services)

STATEMENT OF REASONS FOR INTRODUCTION AND PASSAGE IN THE 2021 SPRING SITTING PERIOD

PAID PARENTAL LEAVE (COVID-19 DISASTER PAYMENT) AMENDMENT BILL

Purpose of the Bill

To enable people to continue to meet the Paid Parental Leave work test where their ability to perform paid work has been impacted by the COVID-19 lockdowns and restrictions. This will be achieved by introducing a provision into the Paid Parental Leave Act 2010, which will enable the Paid Parental Leave Rules 2021 to prescribe that a period in receipt of specified Government COVID-19 payments can be taken to be qualifying work for the purpose of the Paid Parental Leave work test. After passage of the Bill, the Paid Parental Leave Rules 2021 will be amended to prescribe that a period in receipt of the COVID-19 Disaster Payment will be taken to be qualifying work for the purpose of the work test for Paid Parental Leave.

Reasons for urgency

People are currently experiencing the impacts of the COVID-19 lockdowns and restrictions which may impact access to PPL under the current work test.

STATEMENT OF REASONS FOR INTRODUCTION AND PASSAGE IN THE 2021 SPRING SITTINGS

TREASURY LAWS AMENDMENT (2021 MEASURES NO. 6) BILL 2021

Purpose of the Bill

The purpose of the Bill is to:

Renewable Energy (Electricity) Act 2000

Competition and Consumer Act 2010

Reasons for Urgency

Introduction and passage of the Bill in the 2021 Spring sittings is required to:

(Circulated by authority of the Treasurer)